For better or for worse, the month of lurve is here, and if you aren't already in a saccharine couple situation, chances are you're wondering if it's poor form to go on a first date on or around Valentine's Day. Fear not. Send them a text and suggest one of these chill, non-romantic, fun ideas.

A trashy-chic dinner

Start with something basic and give it a fun twist. Why feel uptight and traditional at a fancy restaurant when you can have beer and chicken wings at a hip hawker stall? From the hip Bedok Marketplace, to the raucous and colorful new PasarBella at Suntec to good ol’ Smith Street Taps and xiao long bao at Chinatown Food Centre, there are lots of ways to jazz up the classic dinner date.

A song and dance

Bringing your date to the theater keeps things classy while sorting out the night's entertainment at the same time. Diva to the Death, currently showing, takes it a step further by pairing it up with dinner and drinks, making it the most fuss-free choice. If not, there are always the ones at MasterCard Theatres to choose from. 

A seat at the bar

For a first date, getting a seat at the bar has a couple of key advantages: no eye-gazing and a third person (the bartender) to talk to. Pick a small, bustling spot like The Secret Mermaid in the bowels of Raffles Place MRT or Shin Gi Tai on Haji Lane.

An accessible exhibition

A museum hangout can make a good date great (great talking points, chances to stand close, etc). And if the date is dreadful, you can always move onto the next piece and leave them to be their lame selves. In February, there's Art from the Streets happening at the ArtScience museum—that's not too arty farty—among many others you can check out.

A cute bike ride

A low-key concert

Concerts are great. It’s dark, it’s crowded, you don’t have to talk to each other or, if it’s going well, you can move in for the ol’ hand-hold. But spending hundreds of dollars on a big-deal show is kind of high-stakes. There are plenty of hip, atmospheric places around town that have regular, affordable (if not free) live music, including but not limited to Sing Jazz Club, Blu Jaz and Esplanade Outdoor Theatre.

A magical carnival

Nothing beats having that magical feeling when you win your date that super fluffy (and big) soft toy at the carnival. Afterall, if you've managed to bag a win (after sinking in so much monies too), there must be something magical about the evening too right? The Prudential Marina Bay Carnival is the best place to make this happen.   

A high-speed chase

Hot, dusty, sweaty, high-speed, slightly violent and lots of fun, go karting is the perfect anti-date. There’s The Karting Arena in Bukit Timah that has a 500m track with 11 turns as well as simulators for famous F1 tracks around the world. There’s also Kartwright Speedway over in Jurong.

A good old-fashioned promenade

Make like Jane Austen and go on a long, wholesome walk with your date. Whether they’re into art, heritage or nature, there are some great, guided walks (mostly free) around town. Check out our list here.

A movie with more

Movies are time-honored first date options. Just don’t make like a middle schooler and amble through the mall to go to a multiplex. There are plenty of alternative movie-going experiences. Along with our fave, The Projector, at Golden Mile Tower, there are those organized by Pop Up Cinema too.